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BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Senior Melanie Russell allowed just two hits and the offense scored four runs in the second to help the No. 3 seed Boston University softball team advance to the Patriot League championship round with a 6-2 victory over tournament host Lehigh Friday morning.

Finishing with a 9-2 advantage in hits, the Terriers improve to 27-22 and will now await to learn who will advance out of the losers' bracket. Due to a rain delay, the Mountain Hawks (36-15) will next meet the Army-Bucknell winner on Saturday for the right to face BU on Sunday with the automatic NCAA berth on the line in the double-elimination tournament.

A day after collecting her Patriot League Pitcher of the Year award, Russell (13-9) pitched a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Lehigh recorded a walk, RBI double and RBI single to avoid the shutout. Both junior Brittany Younan and freshman Emily Morrow collected two hits, two runs scored and one RBI apiece to lead BU at the plate.

In the previous meeting against the Terriers back in April, Lehigh's Emily Sorem went eight innings and allowed just one earned run in a 4-2 victory over BU. In the second go-round, she only lasted 1.2 innings. With sophomore Emma Wong at third and freshman Alexa Ponce at first, Morrow hit a hard two-out single off the glove of Sorem for the early 1-0 advantage.

Younan kept the momentum going with an RBI single to left to plate junior pinch-runner Rachel Levine. After Lehigh made a pitching change, junior Moriah Connolly hit a hard liner toward left that the Mountain Hawks were unable to catch despite an impressive diving attempt. Both Morrow and Younan scored on the double to extend the lead to 4-0.

Martinez kept the pressure on Lehigh in the fourth with a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle to plate Morrow and Younan. Facing one out in the sixth, the Terriers had two more on base but were unable to get into run-rule territory.

The six runs were plenty enough for Russell to work with, as she finished with three strikeouts against one walk. 

Now 5-0 all-time in the Patriot League tournament after winning the title in 2014 and missing out in 2015, the Terriers will next compete in the championship round for the automatic NCAA berth starting Sunday at 10 a.m. against an opponent still to be determined. 

2016 Patriot League Tournament Schedule

Thursday, May 12
Game 1: #1 Lehigh - 1, #4 Bucknell - 0
Game 2: #3 Boston U. - 3, #2 Army West Point - 2

Friday, May 13
Game 3: #3 Boston U. - 6, #1 Lehigh - 2
Weather Delay

Saturday, May 14
Game 4: #2 Army vs. #4 Bucknell - 9:30 a.m.
Game 5: #1 Lehigh vs. Winner Game 4 - 12 p.m.

Sunday, May 15
Game 6: #3 Boston U. vs. Winner Game 5 - 10 a.m.
Game 7 (If Necessary): Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 - 12:30 p.m.